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How Much Candy? (Iiiiiiiii want candy!)

What would a Halloween party be without candy, am I right?? Since our reception (epic Halloween party) will be early afternoon, post-lunch, our families sprung for a really nice self-serve spread to feed everyone. Yay! That just leaves the candy buffet that all of our friends have been totally excited about and voting for candy flavors. We've narrowed down the favorite candies to get (thank you, Sam's club!) and even though we're not getting every single guest's favorites, we're getting enough the majority favorites that we should have our bases covered.

The question is, how much candy should we get? We've invited about 100 people, so we're expecting 70 or less to show. Most of them will be in their 30's and younger and a handful of kids, so even though this will be in the afternoon, I'm expecting almost everyone's going to want to fill their pockets with sugary goodness.

I figure one of each should be enough, but my fiance thinks we'll need more than that, even though there will also be fruits, cheeses, veggies, meatballs, sandwiches, cake, pastries, and a cookie table.

Re: How Much Candy? (Iiiiiiiii want candy!)

Get way more than you think you'll need! If you have extras, most of those can go in the freezer, and things like Sour Patch Kids take forever to get old. Just because there will be other food at the reception doesn't mean people won't take more to go. Also, dumb question, are the cheese poofs in individually wrapped packages?

Also I am in my 30s and I love candy and candy bars, this is an excellent idea!

The size of the to-go candy bags you provide will determine how much of each variety guests take. (Which I learned from experience- I’ve had candy buffets as the favor at my kids’ first birthday parties.) Most guests will take a small-average handful of each variety. (Kids and some adults will take a large handful.) An average adult handful is probably 3-4 pieces. I’d try to have at least 300 of each variety. I know it seems like a lot but a lot of people let their hair down on Halloween. Ditto PP that you can freeze leftovers...or bring it into your employee lunch room when you return to work, they’ll love you!

I will say that you have a nice variety of chocolate-to-non-chocolate. Will there be separate packaging for the cheese poofs?

First, I would plan on full attendance. So if you invite 100 people, expect 100 people to show. Also between now and Halloween, if anyone enters into a relationship their SO needs to be invited, which will bump your numbers, even if some people decline. So yea, plan on 100.

The bigger the serving bag/bowl/plate, the more people will take. If I were you, I would buy some of those small, clear plastic cellophane bags and label them "trick or treat" bags (or something). That way, the portions are clear and you can better estimate based on people filling 100 bags. Of course some people will take more than 1 and some people won't fill theirs at all - they'll just take a couple pieces of candy.

Are you also having cake? Because if you're also having dessert, people will take less candy.

Thanks guys! I'll plan to up the candy counts, and little individual Trick or Treat bags is an awesome idea! Thanks The cheese poofs are in those giant barrels that you just pour into serving bowls, but if I can find single-serve wrapped ones, I'm getting those. I'll have scoops and serving tongs for everything on display, but single wrapped is a bit better.

And yes, there will be a dessert station in addition to this sugarfest. So far, the family says there will be like, 250 cookies, muffins and danishes (for peeps who don't do cake,) mini cheesecake bites, and full sheet cake in chocolate and white. The cutting cake will just be a little gluten free funfetti cake my fiance's auntie is making at home and bringing for us (because she's the best!)

Thanks guys! I'll plan to up the candy counts, and little individual Trick or Treat bags is an awesome idea! Thanks The cheese poofs are in those giant barrels that you just pour into serving bowls, but if I can find single-serve wrapped ones, I'm getting those. I'll have scoops and serving tongs for everything on display, but single wrapped is a bit better.

And yes, there will be a dessert station in addition to this sugarfest. So far, the family says there will be like, 250 cookies, muffins and danishes (for peeps who don't do cake,) mini cheesecake bites, and full sheet cake in chocolate and white. The cutting cake will just be a little gluten free funfetti cake my fiance's auntie is making at home and bringing for us (because she's the best!)